St. Francis should pursue overpass

I am horrified to read Elisabeth Mistretta’s report of efforts by St. Francis Roman Catholic High School to persuade the DuPage County Forest Preserve District to allow the school to acquire Belleau Woods land for a sports facility and parking lots.

I hope that it is true that the forest preserve “couldn’t do this if we wanted to,” as President Dewey Pierotti is quoted to say. The primary mission of the forest preserve is to acquire and hold lands for the purpose of preserving flora, fauna and scenic beauty.

In the case of this land, with mature forest, prairie meadow, ephemeral ponds, and wetlands, directly on Winfield Creek, nothing constructed could compare with it for absorbing storm runoff.

The school would do better to invite the forest ecologist, Scott Kobal, to teach the students to understand and appreciate these rare woodlands. As a Christian institution, it should be teaching them to be good stewards of such a precious corner of creation.

I hope the school, the forest preserve district, and State Sen. Carol Pankau will move ahead immediately to plan and build a pedestrian overpass or underpass for access from already developed properties across Roosevelt Road.

Edna E. Heatherington

Glen Ellyn